


Nacre

by ShadowoftheLamp



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 23:30:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6133849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowoftheLamp/pseuds/ShadowoftheLamp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nacre enjoys her job creating Pearls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nacre

It was a good batch. No cracks or imperfections visible on a single Pearl. Nacre lifted one out of the water, then set it on the table and repeated the action with the next six. She liked batches of seven. It wasn't even, but she'd found that, for some reason, batches of seven tended to have the least problems. When the last Pearl was placed down, she held her hands behind her back, waiting. It could take anywhere from five minutes to five hours for them to first form. 

It took twelve minutes for the first to blossom into light and stumble to her feet. Good, no extra or missing limbs. Pure blue eyes, that was nice too. She could get extra for that. It was a slight mutation, but a favorable one. 

"Pearl." Nacre said, and the pearl snapped to attention. Her blue eyes followed Nacre, so she wasn't blind. 

"M'am." Good. Sometimes mutants disobeyed. It was always a shame to destroy those. 

"Good, you recognize yourself. You will refer to yourself as 'this pearl' from now on, though, understood?"

"Understood, m'am."

Nacre sat down, patting her deep blue robe as she waited for the rest to form. Thirty four minutes was first, then an hour and two minutes. An hour forty one, two hours and thirteen minutes, two hours and twenty minutes, and finally, two fifty seven. Not a bad batch at all. Each straightened, looking out of the corners of their eyes to compare themselves to the others. Other than the first with blue eyes, all were perfectly to standard. Excellent. Sevens hadn't failed her yet.

“All of you are Pearls. One of you will go to a Topaz.” She scanned the row, pointing to the second from the left, who stepped forward. This particular customer was an Imperial Topaz, and she’d asked for a purely status Pearl- one that simply needed to make her look better simply by its presence. The one Nacre had chosen was a bit thinner than her sisters, and she looked like she’d be a good dancer.

“Yes, m’am.” The Pearl she’d chosen bowed. “I will be honored.” 

Nacre set a single thin finger under the Pearl’s chin, before pinching the sides of it and pulling the Pearl's face down. 

“From now on, you will not look any gem in the eye as I am doing with you right now. Topaz has said she wishes for you to accompany her. You will respect Topaz, and every other gem. However, Topaz comes first.” Nacre let go of the pearl, then motioned that she should get on her knees. The Pearl did, and the other pearls’ eyes widened when Nacre ruffled her hair, then straightened it back out. Nacre smiled softly. “I expect you will behave, and I will not need to come and fix any problems. I don't want to have to hurt you, dear."

“Of- of course not, m’am. I will behave.” 

Nacre motioned for the Pearl to stand again, and she did. “Excellent. I will deliver you to Topaz later. Wait until I return.” She turned to the other six. “Now, you six follow me.”

The Pearls followed their creator obediently, a line of ducklings following a mother that was half a head shorter than them. When the door snapped shut, Topaz’s future Pearl set a hand on her head, gently running her fingers through her hair.

A few months later, when someone muttered something about how Nacres are off-kilter due to spending too much time with their pearls, the Pearl had to bite her tongue to keep herself quiet.


End file.
